1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a polarizable material including nonisotropic solution useful in electrical devices and comprised of one or more amphiphatic compounds. The solution may have a liquid crystal microstructure, or may be a polymorphic solid micellar solution. More specifically, this invention relates to a nonisotropic solution having an ordered structure which makes it useful in the manufacture of electrical devices such as batteries, capacitors, supercapacitors, piezoelectric transducers, memory elements, insulators, semiconductors, rectifiers, detectors, thermosensitive devices, electrostatic copying devices and in devices that generate and reflect electromagnetic waves. An embodiment of this invention is a parallel plate supercapacitor or an electrochemical primary battery that can be charged and discharged comprised of a nonisotropic solution such as a neat solid or solid bar phase soap dielectric disposed between conducting electrodes.
2. Background of the Invention
Various electrical properties of organic materials such as waxes and resins have been disclosed in the prior art. In Clark et al. U.S. Pat. No. 1,952,158 a colloidal gel is disclosed which remains plastic and stable at temperatures as low as -20.degree. C. and as high as 110.degree. C. and which comprises mineral oil and a small proportion of metallic soap as a dielectric material. Clark et al. disclose that when 2 to 12% wt. of metallic soap is added to approximately 90% wt. of mineral oil, a colloidal gel is formed which functions as a dielectric.
Davey U.S. Pat. No. 1,576,096, discloses the use of purified glycerides, essentially water free unsaturated fatty acids or the various soaps of the fatty acids in conjunction with a cellulose paper, as the dielectric material in capacitors. Davey attributes enhancement of the dielectric behavior of the cellulose paper to the addition of the purified glycerides. The essentially water-free unsaturated fatty acids or the various soaps of the fatty acids disclosed by Davy are believed to entrap residual water molecules on the surface of the cellulose paper so that the water does not contribute to the conductivity of the paper.
Methods for producing electrets from molten wax and wax-like materials solidified in an electric field are well known in the art. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,804,364; 1,886,235; 2,024,705; 2,986,524; 2,284,039 and 2,460,109. Electrets are quasipermanent charged dielectric materials useful as transducers in microphones, earphones, phonograph cartridges and the like.
Klass U.S. Pat. No. 3,301,786, discloses a synthetic ferroelectric article comprised of a dispersion of a solid silica compound in an organic vehicle such as a polyoxyalkylene, paraffin wax, microcrystalline wax or polypropylene. Klass induces permanent electret properties on the opposite sides of his dispersion by subjecting a melted slab thereof to D.C. current during cooling.
Pearlman et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,458,713, discloses an electret comprised of a high molecular weight polycyclic bisphenol polycarbonate which has been permanently electrostatically polarized. Pearlman et al. disclose that such compounds retain electric charge for long periods of time, e.g., ten years.
Crook, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 2,916,792, discloses an apparatus and method for controlling the rate of extrusion of soap bars by passing the soap bars which have a dielectric constant higher than air between the electrodes of a detecting capacitor and measuring changes in the capacitance thereof.
The electronic industry is striving to develop electrical devices which perform very complex functions but occupy a very small space. Recently, a new line of devices have been developed which have found a wide range of applications for which a relatively low voltage power source is required for extended time periods. These devices are known as electric double-layer capacitors, or supercapacitors, and are described in detail in the following articles:
A. J. Juodikis "Supercapacitors Serve As Standby Power Sources", Electronic Design, September 30, 1982, pp 159-164;
K. Sanada and M. Hosokawa, "Electric Double Layer Capacitor `Super Capacitor`", NEC Research & Development No. 55 (October, 1979) pp. 21-27; and
K. Inada, "Super Capacitor Works As A Power Backup For Microcomponents", Journal of Electronic Engineering, November 1982, pp. 32-37.
These references disclose a double-layer capacitor comprising two phases in contact, one phase including, for example, activated carbon, and the second phase including for example a sulfuric acid solution, or a liquid organic electrolyte.
It can be seen from the foregoing prior art references that there is an ongoing effort to fill the need for materials having desirable electrical properties particularly, high dielectric constants and good capacitance and that can be easily and economically produced.